


A collection of stories

by MindlessIdeologist



Category: Homestuck
Genre: M/M, Mmmm I'm going to have a lot of chapters, Multi, They're all oneshots
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-15
Updated: 2015-10-03
Packaged: 2018-02-13 06:11:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 15,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2140089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MindlessIdeologist/pseuds/MindlessIdeologist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I write like, so many oneshots, but I never post them??? I post them on tumblr and I never think about them again so I decided I might as well make a load of it here.<br/>Technically it's gonna be complete so. yeah.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I just had a humanstuck idea that what if eridan and dirk commited like really minor offences and got chucked in prison overnight and became cellmates then bonded over the fact that theyre both princes and now i think i accidentally ship it
> 
> warnings for REALLY BAD WRITING and probably TERRIBLE LACK OF CHARACTER PERCEPTION (aka really ooc)

“’Sup.” Dirk Strider greeted his cellmate as the tall blonde in question was shoved, slightly roughly, into the cell beside him.  
“Hey.” The stranger greeted, turning back to the bars. “Can I at least hawe my cape?”  
“Dude, did you just say ‘Hawe’ instead of ‘Have’?”  
“It’s a speech impediment, shut up assw-wipe.” The blonde retaliated over his shoulder as Dirk lay back on his bed, closing his eyes.  


After being denied access to his cloak, Dirk heard the stranger huff angrily and flump onto his own bed. “What’re you here for?” he decided to try to strike a conversation.  
A loud groaning came from the other’s bed, muffled by pillows. Dirk cracked a small smirk, “Me too.”  
“It’s only for the night.” The grumble was barely audible.  
“It always is.” Dirk answered, heaving himself up. “Dirk Strider.” He held a hand out limply, and was surprised to find the stranger shook weakly. “Eridan Ampora.”

 

It was the beginning of a surprisingly natural conversation for the duo, they sat idly on Eridan’s bed, playing Go Fish with a deck of cards whilst the guard outside watched carefully.  
“Go Fish. So why are you in here?” Dirk said over the tops of his cards.  
“Got caught out late.” Eridan picked up a card and cursed under his breath, “Insulted an officer.”  
“Ha!” Dirk barked at the notion, “I was carrying a fake sword and pissed off authority.” He shrugged, “Any fours?”  
“W-Why w-would you just carry fake swords?” Eridan forked over two cards.  
“Family tradition. Prince gets the best katanas.” At Dirk’s words, there was complete silence.  
“Prince?”  
“Yeah, somethin’ about titles. Dave- my younger brother- and I played a game called Sburb a few years ago. I was a Prince.” he shrugged.  
“I’m a Prince too.” Eridan spilled quickly. “Hope.”  
“Heart.” Dirk replied, quiet for a moment before a slight chuckle rose within him and he fist bumped his new friend. “Prince buddies. Who’d a guessed it?”  
“Threes.” Eridan set the game back on track, and Dirk cursed as he tossed the three cards at him.

 

The sound of their cell unlocking woke the Princes early in the morning, they struggled to open their tired eyes, and found that they’d fallen asleep whilst playing. The cards were scattered beneath them, and they were both curled on Eridan’s bed.  
“Alright Prince boys. Up and out, please.” Their guard smiled at them politely, green eyes seeming to glow in the dim light. “Thanks Callie.” Dirk waved at her weakly, yawning his protest and kicking Eridan lightly to wake him. When his cellmate did not respond, Dirk sighed and hefted him up, carrying him out of the cell with a half-smirk at Callie as he passed.

Dirk knew where to go to get their shit by now, he was here enough. He collected his own stuff as Eridan slowly woke up, changed his clothes and put on his cape.  
“Dude, cape? Lame.”  
“Shut up Dirk.” Eridan huffed tiredly, blowing a strand of his dyed streak out of his eyes. Dirk snickered for a full minute before Eridan shoved at him and told him to get the fuck out of the door.

They exited through the main door, making their way onto the busy streets, and paused for a moment outside. Eridan rocked on his heels whilst Dirk diverted his gaze to anywhere that wasn’t his new friend. After a few seconds spent in awkward silence, Dirk stuck a hand out limply, imitating their first greeting. Eridan gave a ghost of a smile and shook weakly in return, clearing his throat. “It was nice meeting you.”  
“And you. So, uh, I guess I’ll see you around.”  
“Yeah.”  
They turned, and Dirk had only taken a few steps before Eridan called his name. Before his body had completely changed direction to look towards the other, Eridan grabbed him by the collar and pulled him in, kissing briefly and roughly and shocking Dirk into throwing his hands up, hovering a little away from Eridan’s shoulders and ready to shove before he reminded himself that the other blonde was no threat. When Eridan released, they both stepped back, coughing awkwardly. Eridan turned bright red, and Dirk could feel the heat rising up his neck.

A mumbled farewell didn’t bring any apologies, because neither party found it necessary. All that Eridan would admit to himself was that, as he walked away, there was a slight grin gracing his face, the likes of which had never been seen before.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this a few months back after an Omegle roleplay. I was John and my partner was Dave, so both are likely a little (LOT) ooc I'm sorry.
> 
> Warnings for implication of character death.

Your name is John Egbert and you are really fucking bored.   
You have been bored for a good few days now, since you moved down from Washington to Texas so you could see your best bro. Your first meeting was kind of awkward, since Dave picked you up at the airport. You fondly relive the memory.

 

You remember standing in the foyer of the airport, towards one of the wall so as to keep out of other people's way. Your dad had insisted you take a red marker and some card, so you stood with "TURNTECHGODHEAD (David Elizabeth Strider)" written in your semi-neat handwriting on the card in Dave's signature red. You would have preferred blue, or even green, but nope. Your dad insisted it had to be red, because you owed Dave that small victory. Without him, you'd have been pretty much stranded in an unfamiliar place, and you probably would have hopped on the first plane home.   
You can remember the first glimpse you got of him, the bright yellow-white airport lights glinting off of dark shades. Only Dave would be stupid enough to wear shades at like 1AM. You waved the sign a little and he caught sight of you, weaving expertly through the crowd. As he drew past the last line, you caught your first proper sight of your best friend of eight plus years, and he was, to put it cleanly, attractive as fuck.   
It wasn't that he was ripped as fuck or that his face fit the fucking golden ratio. His nose was a little crooked, you guessed it was from the strifing. His hair was a pale white-blond and it fell ever so slightly across his face. He was tall, so much more than your measley five and a half feet. He wasn't tanned, like you'd expected, but painfully pale, like a ghost. You could see, even from this distance, a littering of small scars.   
And just like that the sign hit the floor and you took off running, luggage forgotten.   
You crashed into him at full speed, knocking him flat, and laughed a mixture of nervous and joyous laughter because you could touch him, you could hug him and you did, you hugged him as hard as you could without breaking every bone in his body and he responded with as much enthusiasm.   
It was the first time he kissed you, but it was not romantic. It was fueled by the love in his heart and you know because you felt it too. The love and need from eight years built up to want to sit and play lame video games together and jab one another in the arm when a loss or a win comes up on screen. The love of laughing together, or rather, you laughing and Dave silently shaking with the straight faced mask he could never break. The need you have to see him smile, to properly smile, for you because you've done a great thing for him even though you're not sure what you'll do yet. That's why he kissed you.   
You retrieved your luggage, which you found guarded by a pleasant stranger around your age, who introduced himself as Karkat and insulted you a lot for leaving your bags unattended in an airport like Houston, but he mellowed out over the course of five minutes and, although he remained loud and with an angry tone, you and Dave got to talking properly with him and discovered that he has a pesterchum account. You swapped chumhandles with a promise to talk later, and you and Dave both waved him off as he headed home to Oregon.

Reliving the memory relieved some of your boredom, but as the scene fades from the eye of your mind, it returns. Grey and dull, it consumes you. You haven't seen Dave since the airport, but you know where he lives. You check the time- around 10PM, you can't be bothered working out the exact time because analogue clocks are stupid. Your computer screen flashes at you, and like the mature older teen you are, you spin in your chair until you reach the keyboard. Dave is pestering you.  
  
TG: john  
EB: hi!  
TG: sup

You think over a smart-ass reply and eventually, you settle on,

EB: price of gold.  
TG: cool  
TG: what the fuck is that shit  
EB: what shit?  
TG: price of gold  
EB: oh  
EB: i don't know jade made me look it up.  
TG: im sitting here shooting out beats and drinking aj  
EB: hey.  
EB: hey dude.  
EB: your apple juice.  
EB: it's piss.

You've pulled this joke on him so many times it's losing its lustre.

TG: sure and pigs can fly  
EB: i will come over there and piss in your apple juice.  
TG: try it  
TG: see how far you get before i hand your ass to you on a plate  
EB: i'm coming over now.

You grab a coat and pull on some pants before you escape into the warm night air, locking the door to your apartment behind you. Your phone is clutched in your hand, Pesternote gleams at you from the tiny screen.

TG: ill get terezi to lick you

You smirk at the mention of Terezi. When you first met her, you were playing Call of Duty and you killed her three times in a row. She has a kind of hate-friend relationship with you.  
You ignore the comment.

EB: put some pants on.  
EB: i don't want to walk in and see a pantsless dave.  
EB: and not underwear either because i don't know how long you've been wearing them.  
TG: im not fucking naked  
EB: good, i am coming to piss in your aj.  
EB: coming now.  
EB: watch me.  
TG: the fuck you are  
TG: if you touch my fucking apple juice i will cut your dick off  
EB: knock knock dave.  
EB: open your door.

To drive the point home, you rap on his apartment door.

TG: fuck no  
EB: knock knock. open it or i'll kick it down.

You knock again.

TG: i dare you to kick down my damn door  
EB: can you hear this dave?

You kick the door lightly, just loud enough, before you proceed to open it because it is unlocked like you knew it would be.

TG: nope its too wimpy

You switch the phone off and creep up behind him as silently as you can.   
"Can you hear me now Dave?" you make a point of whispering uncomfortably close to his ear. Dave doesn't even flinch.  
"Nope."  
"Dave. Turn around."  
"Nope." Dave raises his carton of apple juice to his lips and takes a sip.  
"Turn around Dave, the dick is coming out." and with that, you pinch the carton from his hand and turn as he does. You make pissing sound effects.  
"Go drink your own piss John." Dave glowers as you hand him the (piss-free) carton back.  
"Enjoy your apple juice Davey." You play, "I'm going to sit here," you flump onto his bed, "and watch you cry."  
Dave throws the carton at your head.  
"I'mma watch _you_ cry, bitch."  
You force yourself to tear up. "Oh no. Look at this."  
"John no."  
"I'm sniffling."  
"John."  
"These are tears."  
"No."  
"I am crying. Can you taste the tears Dave?" you lean toward him, staring into his shades pointedly, "Or do you need to lick them?"  
"Why in the hell would I lick your stupid-ass tears?" Dave spins in his chair, back to face the computer.   
"Because I am delicious, Dave." you circle him and wink.  
"That's disgusting. Get out, die, don't come back. 'Kay?" even for Dave, the comment is a bit harsh and you feel yourself physically withdrawing. Then again, you have a reputation to keep up, so you inject your trademark cockiness into your newly-straightened voice and speak, "Dave, my feelings. They are hurt." and when you don't recieve a reply, "I'm going to go stand in the road now."  
"'Kay, bye."

You switch back to pesternote as you leave the apartment, privately praying that Dave stops you as you head down the stairs.

EB: i'm leaving. going down the stairs.  
TG: k  
EB: into the street.

You will prove this point.

TG: thats nice im going to get some aj that doesnt contain your piss  
EB: don't lie, dave. you love it.  
EB: here comes a truck.

Please, Dave.

TG: im not lying go fuck yourself.

Lights flare ahead of you moments before pain does.  
You pull your phone up from your pocket, it's miraculously unharmed aside from one small crack. Shaking, you reply to Dave.

EB: i am, chill.  
EB: well actually i'm kinda...  
EB: bleeding a lot.  
TG: wtf why are you bleeding  
EB: dave. visit me in hospital.

You can't brink yourself to say goodbye because you refuse to part on these terms.

TG: what  
EB: dave i'm dying outside your house.  
EB: call 911.  
TG: jesus fucking christ just come back up already  
EB: dave.  
EB: what about bleeding on the sidewalk do you not understand?  
TG: yeah you are a bleeding douchebag that pissed in my aj  
EB: dave. stop for a minute.

Your vision is darkening.

EB: i got hit by a truck.  
EB: an actual truck.  
TG: well you wanted to be a douche so i let you

He still thinks you're fucking around.

EB: by all rights i should be dead or unconscious by now.

Finally the point drives home, moments later you hear clattering and pounding and gentle arms dig under you. You hear a quiet "fuck" before your senses peter out.

You come to on Dave's couch, staring at a messy room. Dave stands across from you, watching you intently. You can feel bandages wrapped around your wounds.   
"Dave." you croak gently.  
"Ambulance is on its way."  
"Dave, kiss me." the logical part of your mind, silenced by injury and exhaustion, wriggled uncomfortably.  
"Yeah no." Dave gave you a skeptical expression, "What else will you do? Something creepy I suppose."  
"Kiss you, you fucking idiot." against your better judgment, you struggle to sit up. "Do I look capable of doing anything else?"  
"You always have some lame prank up your sleeve."  
"That sounds like me but I did just get hit by a truck." you flump down, unable to sit up. "And if it's sleeves you're worried about, remove my shirt."  
There's a pause.  
"I didn't mean that to sound so sexual, but either way is good."  
"Why are you so damn creepy today?" You smile weakly at Dave's response  
"Hi maybe we haven't met, I'm John Egbert, I lack subtlety and like to piss people off in the form of pranking. Here shake my hand."  
"Why are you creepier than usual?" Dave rectifies. You allow the silence to stretch for a few seconds before you finally exhale,  
"I took advice from Jade."  
"What did you think that you could accomplish by taking her advice?"  
"Uh, well I did _not_ expect to get hit by a truck." you groan. "Jade is used to getting all the guys she wants." oh shit are you coming out to Dave? "Why can't I be like that?" you just came out to Dave.  
"So you're trying to be Jade?" Dave gives you a beautiful smirk, "Well you got 'girly' down."  
"Shut up Dave, I might die on your couch just to piss you off."  
"I dare you." His words contain his smirk, but he makes his way over to you regardless and presses his lips to yours. He pulls away all too quickly, but his hand lingers on your chest. You tangle your fingers with him.  
"Fuuuuuck me!" You wince as you try to sit up, "I'm not convulsing, I'm trying to sit up."  
"You didn't just say that." Dave helps you to sit up, "I'm going to ignore it."  
"Fuck me, Fuck me, Fuck me." you tease even as your vision begins to fade again. You grab Dave's shirt in a death grip, taking your last few moments of consciousness to stare at your best friend.   
You fight to stay awake, because you know that if your eyes close, they may never open. Your mouth moves silently, forming the shape of words you cannot speak. No, you can't go like this! You... you refuse!

Your refusals do nothing to stop you slipping, and you can hear your name being called in Dave's low southern voice, but they sound far away. Like a candle flame in the wind, they blow out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> he's not dead though dont worry  
> Dave got him to the hospital and he was okay.


	3. (I LIED)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mmm okay so this is the sequel to the last chapter at the request of sedamentary  
> also i cant link so  
> sorry  
> okay bye  
> this is based off the last little bit of the rp since i have it saved ahahaha //  
> up until John passes out it is at least

You come to in the ambulance. Your initial reaction is to panic- you can’t afford medical care, not for something like this, but Dave gives you a genuine, reassuring smile and you know it will be okay.  
“Dave,” you drawl, “Where are my flowers?”  
“Saved by the ambulance, I kissed you and hauled your ass off the street, now you want flowers? Do you want my shades too?” you hear the sarcasm dripping off of his words but your pranksters gambit sparks slightly and you smile, “Yes.”  
There’s a pause.  
“Fine.” He hands you his shades and you beam at him brightly, or as brightly as you can for a guy that’s badly hurt. A manic giggle escapes you along with droplets of your sanity, “Dave. Dave, your eyes…” you gaze at them for a moment, “They’re the best.”  
“Fuck.” Dave curses, closing his eyes. He forgot about them. Being all crimson and gorgeous and shit.  
“No, I won’t have that.” You grasp at Dave’s shirt gently, pulling him towards you. “No, open them, they’re gorgeous.”  
“Fuck. You. John.” Dave strains through gritted teeth, “I’m not opening my eyes.”  
“Why not?” You try to whine but you giggle your way through the words. A voice in your head begs you to stop. Please. Don’t fuck up your friendship with Dave. You’ve loved him for too long now, you can’t lose him.  
“My eyes are stupid and make people think I’m a demon, John, let go of me.”  
“But I love them.” You reply simply, shifting your grip from his shirt to his arm, now more of a request to stay close. You’re shaking again. You will not be awake much longer.  
“I’m in your face right now,” his tone is softer, “If you could let go so we won’t be an inch apart, that would be…” he loses the end of his sentence and you know he thinks that you missed the way his gaze briefly flickered down but you didn’t.  
You want to reply. You want to kiss him. You want so badly to bridge that inch but you can’t move at all. You try to tell him with your eyes, words you’ve been meaning to say, and you hope he reads it properly as your hand thuds dully to the bed beside you and your vision darkens.

If you die, you are glad Dave was the last thing you saw.

 

 

 

John is still unconscious. It’s been two… three weeks, and they’re beginning to say he may never wake up. You’ve only left the hospital three times. Rose has had to drag you out all three times. Eventually they gave up.  
Jade sits with you on weekend nights. Karkat sits with you during the week. Collaboratively, they probably keep you alive.  Karkat and Jade are the only ones that can get you to eat. Karkat is the only one that can get you to sleep. Rose is the only one to make you leave the hospital, Kanaya and Eridan make you change your clothes. You’re basically a zombie. John is in a coma. It’s your fault.

And you thought he was screwing around! You told him to get out and die. What if he does? What will you do then?  
Karkat listens to you talk and blubber all night, sometimes. You’re glad you have him. He hugs and shushes you when you cry, and you do cry. You never cry. But you do now.

It is exactly three weeks and three days later that Karkat and Sollux arrive bearing energy drinks and cereal bars. You drink, but you don’t eat much. You can’t keep food down. Sollux talks to you kindly, he knows how you feel. He’s been in this situation before. Your best friend is in a coma and it’s your fault.  
Something about the way he says those words, ‘Best Friend,’ tells you that his friend wasn’t just that. It’s the same way you say the same words. You look up at him, “You loved her.”  
“I…” he’s speechless. You have rendered him speechless. He takes a breath, “I thtill do.”  
“Did she…?” You don’t have to finish the sentence, Sollux smiles,  
“No, thtill alive.” He replies, “It’th Aradia, Dave. You know her.”  
“Aradia…” yes, you do know Aradia. You like Aradia. She has a cool sense of humour. You didn’t know she’d been in a coma. You ask Sollux about this, and his expression darkens,  
“It wath my fault. I made her go into an abandoned building, but I knew it wath unthtable. It collapthed on her, and I had to dig in the rubble to pull her out. There wath blood everywhere.” You see the haunted expression overcome him and feel bad. You move to put an arm around him, which amazes Karkat. You haven’t made any voluntary attempt to move since you arrived here.  
Sollux leans into you momentarily, you know he’s not great with social interaction, then you pull away.  
Beeping attracts your attention.   
You’re on your feet in a split second, by John’s side. Karkat and Sollux join you, and you will with all of your heart for this to be a good thing.   
John’s eyes begin to flicker open and Sollux grins at you whilst Karkat calls for attendance.

John is properly awake within ten minutes, but is kind of delirious. The doctors go through their usual checks, and declare that they want to keep him in a few more days to keep an eye on him. You cry in the corner with Sollux patting your back.

John sleeps for a while after that, but not before calling you to his bed in a croaky voice. Karkat and Sollux share earphones to give you some privacy.   
You lay your hand over his gently, fighting back tears as you whisper your way through an apology.  
“Dave,” John interrupts you, “The position we were in before I passed out.” He pulls weakly at you until you are imitating the position he mentioned. You remove your shades to complete the scene. You love being so close to him, his eyes shining a bright blue. You see the glimmer there, the same as you saw three weeks and three days back. This time, John doesn’t pass out. He leans up, closing the gap and pressing his lips against yours.   
He’s gentle, and you feel his entire body shake with the physical effort of it, so you put an arm around him to hold him up.   
“I love you.” He whispers hoarsely. You smile.   
“I love you too.


	4. Every Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anon request on Tumblr before I went on holiday!  
> Technically a humanstuck AU  
> Arasol

Aradia gave a loud groan as she entered her house, trekking up the stairs with her bag suddenly three times heavier. She gave another, sarcastic groan as she entered her room and found her best friend asleep, hovering about a foot above her bed.  
She immediately began to strip her school uniform off, not caring if he awoke or not. She had no shame when it came to Sollux, he'd been her friend for what seemed like forever. He had attached himself to her years ago, and followed her since.  
She loved him, but there was no way she could talk about or introduce him to her friends. They'd think she was crazy. Nobody has a best friend that only they can see.

Sollux Captor was a ghost. When He'd realised Aradia could see him, could touch him, he'd clung to her. Mentally, physically and spiritually. Aradia had been annoyed at first, especially after Sollux accidentally shorted out her family's T.V.  
After a while, and a lot of apologies, though, Aradia had warmed quickly to the young ghost. She was one of the few that could see him, and so far the only one that could touch him. Other than being essentially dead, Sollux functioned like any teenage boy. He'd even suffered through acne (Which, Aradia had to admit, had cleared beautifully.) He slept a large portion of the day when Aradia was at school, since it was either that or sitting with her, scrawling extra notes on a piece of paper hidden by her bag. He had really helped, actually, even if his writing was kind of hard to read where he replaced 'o' with '0'  
It had previously been Aradia's trait, but he had adopted it.

He also slept with her at night. Then, he would make an active effort to not float, but rather stay grounded on the bed because Aradia would cling to him if she had a nightmare. He got extremely annoyed when he woke up even a centimetre off the bed. 

Aradia pulled her pyjamas over her head and crawled over to Sollux, grinning. She prodded him gently, then harder, until she finally butted him with her head, sending him sprawling to the floor in shock. "What the fuck, AA?" he gasped at her as she collapsed onto the quilt, laughing. "Sorry, Sollux! You wouldn't wake up."  
"Tho you puthed me off the bed?"  
"Technically," Aradia swung herself around so she was upside down, staring at him, "I headbutted you."  
Sollux looked angry for a moment, then began to chuckle weakly as Aradia straightened, offering a hand. He climbed back onto the bed with her. "How wath your day?"  
She groaned and turned onto her back, resting her head in his lap. He soothingly stroked the hair out of her face as she concentrated on her breathing. P.E day was never good.  
It wasn't that Aradia was unfit, she just royally sucked at ball games- especially football. She swore she managed to kick herself in the face once.  
Looking at her, lying so peacefully, so close to him, Sollux felt the stir of emotion he didn't know ghosts were capable of. But, if she could feel it, being... half that- he was sure he could too.  
He took his chance, dipping down briefly, kissing her gently, and then turning to his non-corporeal smoke form. Aradia sat bolt upright, glaring around the room at the sort of blue-red haze. "Sollux." She warned, "Sollux, you reform. Right now."  
He obeyed, returning to his cross-legged position in front of her with his head bowed and the general "I fucked up" expression. She surprised him by shifting to sit in his lap, making him raise his head to look at her with a questioning gaze hidden behind red and blue glasses. "Idiot." she commented as she kissed him back.

"I have a ghost boyfriend." Aradia recited the words as she lay with Sollux, fingers linked together.  
"Yeth."  
"A ghost."  
"Thath me."  
"Ghost."  
"Right here."

"You dragged me to thchool... why?" Sollux trod sullenly along behind Aradia.  
"Because I wanted to." Aradia grinned at him, the thin red string connecting them.  
As she approached the gates, her name was called loudly by her friends, "Hey, Aradia!" Jade greeted brightly. Aradia and Jade had met only a few times, but she was pretty cool. "Who's your friend?"  
Both Aradia and Sollux were struck dumb.  
"Friend?" Karkat frowned at her, "What the fucking shitdicks are you talking about, Harley?"  
"Her- oh." Jade cut herself off as Sollux put a hand through Karkat's head.  
'You can see him?' Aradia signed at Jade. She was lucky that they had both learnt sign language in their spare time.  
'You brought a ghost to school?'  
"Jade's just moved from the all-girls school down the road." Rose explained, "As has my girlfriend." She jerked her head towards the gates where a tall girl in a red skirt stood.  
"She's not wearing the right uniform." Aradia commented,  
"Of course. She just moved."  
The new girl approached, introducing herself as Kanaya. As they made their way around the group, introducing and shouting and arguing, Aradia noticed Kanaya staring towards where Sollux was now floating a few feet above her.  
Other people could see Sollux.  
She wasn't (completely) insane.  
This was going to be a great year.


	5. Princes p2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i wrote this and it accidentally became a sequel to chapter one  
> actually an anon request, "Eridan and dirk hear me <3 3?"

Eridan slid down the outside of Dirk's door, hearing nothing but the telltale quick deepening of Dirk's breathing telling him he'd screwed up again and there were tears filling the blond's eyes.  
So he left.  
Of course, he didn't go far. He never did, not until Jane or Roxy arrived at least. Dirk had a bad history and Eridan didn't want anything to happen to him.

He remembered their first kiss, a dumb surprise outside a prison they had both just got out of. An overnight stay. Seeing Dirk's name on Facebook, Pesterchum, Tumblr. Meeting up with him again and discovering mutual friendships, the romance that grew between them and going to the same university.

They had never been healthy, both would admit it. But they were trying to improve. Dirk was overprotective and Eridan was needy but both took different studies and worked long hours, surviving on a diet of instant noodles and energy drink. 

"Dirk..." Eridan tried, for the first time, to fix his own mistake. Inside, Dirk shook as he lay, face-down, on his bed with tears in his eyes. He tried to sleep, so hard, and hoped he wouldn't wake up. Eridan creaked the door open a crack, staring in through thick glasses with his cape wound around him. "Dirk."  
"Eridan, please." Dirk was muffled by his bed.   
Eridan, despite reading the reluctance in Dirk, sat on the edge of the bed, silent for just a moment. "I'm sorry." he said simply. The words shocked both boys, Eridan always portrayed himself as obnoxious and powerful, which was certainly a critical part of his personality, but now he was showing the side only Karkat and Dirk knew. The self-hating, sensitive, apologetic mess that was Eridan, no need to drop the power of his last name.  
Dirk pulled himself up from the bed, turning to Eridan.  
"This isn't... Healthy. We're not healthy."  
"I know-w"   
Dirk smiled as Eridan's weird accent came through. "D'you think we should just. End it. Here?"  
"Do you w-want to?" Eridan stared up at him.  
"It's not if I want to. I don't. Would it be better for us?"  
They were both silent.   
"W-we could try."   
Dirk shuffled closer, kissing Eridan one last time.  
He drew his cloak around himself as he left.


	6. Anti/Matter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So the exact request was bunbert and nyander.... aaaaand then i decided HEY WHY NOT GET A FEEL FOR THE ANTI/MATTER UNIVERSE YOU UTTER COCK  
> So  
> that happened
> 
> I'll probably end up expanding this one because i like it

He waited for the plot twist in his story. There was always a plot twist, every story had one, and from his history knowledge, heirs to the throne always had the biggest.

The prince sat awkwardly in his throne, too small for even his young age, and the chair far too big. He had taken to curling his blue hood-cape around him as he read, the powerful voice of his father somehow soothing. He regulated his breathing, taking strict naps and knowing to wake after a hundred or so breaths. The naps were short and scattered through the day, he had picked the idea up from his sister, Princess Jade. Her narcolepsy had given him the ability to drop off almost on command, having spent most of his young life napping with her.

His attention was drawn as a small party of people entered.  
He recognised his cousins, Jake and Jane, and of course Prince Dirk. He would most likely never reach the throne in partnership with Jake, but they called him a Prince regardless.   
John was the heir apparent.

One of the blond members came forward, sinking to one knee in front of the king. John knew him as Sir Dave, one of the youngest knights in the world, and certainly the youngest in the kingdom. At fourteen, he was only a few months older than the Heir. He was an intriguing figure, in any case.  
"Your Highness," Dave's voice reverberated through the chamber as his fellows inclined their heads, "We wish to talk with your son." Dave lifted his head just enough for John to catch his gaze, eyes a burning crimson. "Privately."  
The king's eyes skirted the line of young citizens, from the Lalonde twins down to Jake, who inclined his head in acceptance. These people could be trusted.  
The king heaved a sigh as he stood, "Very well. Jade, with me."  
"Actually," Rose stepped forward, "Jade will be crucial to this meeting too, your highness."  
"Of course." The king rolled his eyes and left the room, leaving Jade to run down the steps and throw herself at Rose, hugging the blonde with all her might. John uncurled from his chair and stretched, ambling idly over to the group.   
"Great to see you again old chum!" Jake clouted him on the back, making John sputter slightly.   
"Watch it dude!" He huffed, making Dave raise an eyebrow.  
"Prince of the god damn kingdom talking like street trash? Sign me up to this program."  
"I do not talk like street trash."  
"Yeah, whatever. Can it, princey, we have serious matters to discuss." The group formed a circle at Dave's command.

"Alright, you gotta hear me out, 'cause this is gonna sound nuts. Y'all promise?"  
"Of course!"  
"Why not?" Jade and John responded in turn.  
"Okay. Well, your highness', I got some news for you. You're both what we call 'Shifters,' a specific type of person that can change between human and animal form at will, once they know how."  
"Bullshit." John snorted. Dave growled at him, motioning for both sides of the circle to step back dramatically as he moved towards John. "'Bullshit'?" He quoted. He locked their gazes together, and without breaking that lock, he transformed. A moment later, he stood in front of John, no longer human. The pale yellow-white cat swished its tail in annoyance. John stared, open-mouthed, until Dave switched back to his human form and shoved the prince roughly. "Believe me now, dickwad?"  
"What the fuck." John breathed, "Yeah I-I believe you."   
"Great." Dave stepped back. "The purpose of being a Shifter is to use our abilities to stop this universe colliding with another."  
"Sounds serious."  
"You bet."  
There was a silence that stretched almost a minute.  
"Well, that was easy!" Roxy chirruped brightly, "Should we teach them?"  
"That's probably a good idea." Dirk agreed. "Dave and I will take the Prince, Jake, with me. Ladies, you can take the Princess."

"Are you ready?" Dirk questioned. John nodded, focusing on what he had been taught. The others watched carefully as John shrunk, silky black fur covering his now-tiny body. Dave began to laugh himself silly as the newly transformed John inspected himself.  
He was a rabbit.  
A fucking bunny rabbit.  
Across the room, he watched Jade shrink into a flying squirrel. She had to get the cool one.  
He changed back angrily, clothes re-solidifying as he grew back to his human self. "I'm a rabbit?"  
"You're a cute rabbit." Dave commented, leaning back. John stared at him for a moment, face crumpling as he turned bright red. He buried his face in his hood, pulling it around himself and swathing himself in the material. Dave smirked and Jake patted him on the shoulder, hard.

"I've never met a squirrel before." Rose commented as she smoothed Jade's black dress. Jade smiled brightly at her.   
"What are you?"  
Rose gave a gentle smile and closed her eyes, reforming into a bright-eyed crow. Roxy, beside her, also transformed. She became a black-and-white magpie, and both Lalondes took to the air and completed a few laps around the room before landing in their human forms, in perfect unison. Jade turned her attention to her cousin, and Jane smiled as she inclined her head and shrunk, becoming a polecat. The Jane-Polecat skittered up to rest herself on Jade's shoulder, looking brightly around the room. "Amazing!"  
Jane hopped back to the floor, slipping back into her human form. "Dirk is an ocelot, Jake is a dog." she added as she straightened, "I expected you to be the dog."  
"Well, I guess not!"  
"Though, with his boundless energy, I can see why he makes such a good dog." Rose commented.  
"He reminds me of Bec, except he's black." Jane directed at her cousin, making Jade light up and dash across the room with a call of what Jane thought was "Be a dog, be a dog!"

Jade and John excused themselves from council early and took their small crowd upstairs into the main room, leaving the king baffled and exasperated. 

Dirk paired them off to train, assigning Dave to John and Rose to Jade. He and Jake were to survey the girls, whilst Roxy and Jane were sent to keep an eye on John and Dave, to make sure that Dave didn't kill the young Prince.

Dave wasted no time at all, setting straight to work on annoying John. Being basically a big adorable ball of fluff, John wasn't quick enough to keep up with the sleek cat, who circled him endlessly, nipping at his ears, until John got so angry he kicked him halfway across the room with a lucky shot.

Dave switched back quickly, wiping a speck of blood from his mouth and lashing his tongue over the small wound. He walked slowly back over to John, who shifted back to human form with a victorious grin, but reached out for Dave with some semblance of concern.  
Dave let himself smirk as he shook John's hand. This was his student, he was going to make sure of it.


	7. It's Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WOW this one is a loooong one I've had in and out for months  
> I love this one so much

So this is what Jane meant. She's right. I'm exhausted, and I'm already so done living here. Sure, my dorm is cosy and the internet here is okay, but truth be told I miss Dave. And Rose, Roxy, Dirk. I miss them a lot, but unlike my family, my friends are still, frustratingly, in America.

 

I tell Dave this when he calls me on Skype and he does the Strider equivalent of a laugh until he sees that I'm actually crying.  
The call doesn't last long after that, and Dave doesn't return for a good few hours. I try to bug Roxy and Rose in turn, but Roxy just shoots me a 'bbl' and Rose says something about a family meeting.  
When they do return, I ask what they were meeting about. Dave tells me I have to wait and see.

 

Two weeks of waiting and I still haven't seen. Dave hasn't talked to me in two days, and all I've has from both Rose and Roxy is 'I'm busy.'  
None of them messaged or replied to me yesterday and I'm kind of worried; what if I did something to offend them? Oh Jesus, what if they hate me?  
I only have a few minutes to dwell on this catastrophic possibility before my phone rings and there's a knock at my door, I answer the door first because the caller can always ring me back.

I find Nepeta, grinning, and I have to grin back because Nepeta's joy is infectious. She tells me Jane is outside, that I need to go see her. She follows up with a claim that she knows something I don't, so I roll my eyes, grab my phone and leave, following my cat-obsessed friend out to Jane, who's sitting in a rented people carrier.

Logically, huge fucking 7-seater car for three people should scream 'more to come' but not with me. I climb in the back seat because Jake claimed shotgun and Jane whisks us away, I wave at Nepeta as we leave.

 

I ask where Jade is once we're on the motorway, and Jane tells me she didn't come for lack of room. I don't understand, there's shitloads of room.  
We arrive at the airport and it still doesn't click why we're here. I'm confused, really confused, and so is Jake by the confused noises he's making. Jane sits us both down and we wait.  
I almost fall asleep, leaning into Jake's shoulder, when Jane shocks me awake, "Dave is here!" and I'm on my feet in seconds flat with Jake only moments behind.

 

I run at Dave when I see him, the cliché jump-and-hug that Dave aptly responds to by lifting me off of my feet and spinning me around two, three times before he falls back, dizzy. In the euphoria of the moment, we share a kiss, but it isn't until much later that either of us realises it might not be entirely platonic.  
Jake has Dirk pulled against him, their kiss is aggressive and expected. Dirk's white-blond hair is swept back instead of up, and it looks kind of weird, but suits him.

 

Dave is still wearing the shades that I got him for his 13th, and I'm still touched. He tugs me down to him so that my forehead rests on his, and then he allows me to see the briefest of smiles. I'm grateful; it's rare that he smirks, never mind busting out a proper smile.  
We pick ourselves off of the floor after his smile is hidden again, but Dave slings an arm around me to keep me close, and I carry his case.

"How long are you guys here?" I ask as we walk, I guess at about a week by their luggage. Two at a stretch, maybe? I don't really care how long they're here; I'm just happy to see them again. University has been hell.  
Roxy flashes me a grin, "Johnny, I don't know what to tell you." She answers vaguely, drawing her words out.  
"Roxy, don’t tease.” I feel a clarification coming from Rose, "We don't really have plans to leave."

The squeal that I emit is girly and high-pitched, but the amount of fucks I give is well below zero as I bundle Dave, Roxy and Rose into a huge hug. Dirk isn't great with sudden physical contact from anyone but Jake and Roxy, so I offer him a fist bump. I look lame, sure, but it's a way to show that I'm glad to see him.

 

This is why Jane got the seven seater! Roxy shotguns, Dave and I take the backwards seats and Jake and Dirk sit opposite me, Rose originally sits across from Dave, but once Dirk and Jake settle in, my violet-eyed friend shifts to sit in the place between my seat and Dave's.  
Halfway home, Rose falls asleep against my seat and I drape my jacket around her to keep her warm.  
Dave is asleep on his seatbelt; he's made a sort of sling to rest his head in. Genius.  
Dirk, Jane and I are the only ones still awake, and with Jane focusing on the road and Dirk's attention on the sleeping Jake, I have nothing to do besides stroke Rose's hair absentmindedly.

I let out a deep breath through barely parted lips and try to sleep.

 

I must have fallen at some point, because my semi-conscious mind is telling me I'm heavy. Dave's voice repeats the phrase and I sleepily try to stand, wobbling. I hear Dave sigh softly, and the second the door to the building shuts, Dave sweeps me up and carries me upstairs, the rocking motion lulling me to sleep.

 

We're not really supposed to have guests overnight in the halls, but I wake up to Dave anyhow. I'm on the side of the bed that's against the wall, I realise, and I smile because Dave remembered that I like this side best.  
Dave's back is pressed lightly against mine, his presence is comforting.  
When Dave wakes about an hour later and yawns at me to ask if I have anywhere to be today, I swiftly deny. That's the beauty of this course I guess, no weekend anything, so I have Fridays completely free.

 

I take Dave down into the city, and he marvels at the difference to Texas' cities. I mention to him that London is more like America, or even Manchester, but England in general is half a world apart... Quite literally.  
He stocks up on many types of British sugary stuffs and complains about the lack of American shit, to which I drag him excitedly to the American Candy store that I frequent when I'm homesick.  
I think I underestimated how much money Dave has.   
He stocks up on Koolaid and various iced teas of the AriZona variety and a lot of other stuff that I miss.

And then, as we approach the Halls, he tells me to get my shit because he forgot to mention he bought an apartment for us to live in.   
Because that’s a thing that you forget.

My belongings are packed within the hour, dusk is already beginning to descend and I’m eager to get moved before the city’s rabble comes out in full force. I pause only to drop my key off at reception, and then Dave leads me to my new home.

“Holy shit.” I find myself unable to stop the words as I enter the surprisingly spacious apartment. I catch Dave smirking out of the corner of my eye as he flicks the lights on and then throws himself on the sofa. His hair is almost the same shade of platinum blonde as the sofa, and his shades stand out against the otherwise pale backdrop. I grin at him and we throw insults back and forth as I begin to unpack, my room is closest to the kitchen. Damn. Dave really hasn’t forgotten anything I’ve told him, he just… knows me.   
Huh, well, I guess being best friends for like ten years will do that to you.

He manages to fall asleep on the sofa whilst I’m eating; it’s my first proper meal in days, what with studying for my exams and just generally being a student, and I’m starving. I laugh a little at him once I’m finished, and I repay his favour to me by carrying him to bed.   
I’m surprised to find that Dave is amazingly, dangerously light. I know him well enough to realise that he hasn’t been eating properly since I left for England about seven or so months ago. It’s not that he’s concerned with his weight or anything, to my knowledge. He just forgets to eat, and I haven’t been around to remind him.   
I think we both forget how dependent we were on each other, to be honest. We grew up together, or at least most of the time. I travelled to England during the academic holidays to live with Dad, but since I lived with Jade in Texas for the most part of the year, Dave and I grew to be… well, I think best bros is the best term for it.

Through high school, Dave and I developed a co-dependence; if I forgot to do something, Dave had me covered, and vice versa. I relied on him for food one week, he relied on me the next, and we were comfortable with that, I guess. But, I don’t think we realised just how dependant we were on each other.   
Looking back at my own food consuming history since I left America, I haven’t been great either. I decide this as I carry Dave to his bed and carefully peel his jeans off of him. They probably would have cut off his circulation if I’d left them on, anyhow.  
Once the cover is pulled up to his shoulders, I turn to leave, and… find I don’t really want to. After spending such a large period of time away from Dave, I’m so grateful to have him back and it’s kind of painful. I briefly wonder how I would have managed if I was in the halls and he was here, but the thought doesn’t even bear imagining. Instead, I head to my room and sweep my quilt off of my bed before heading back to Dave, wrapping the quilt around me and sitting to sleep by the head of his bed.

 

I awake the next morning to find Dave poking the hell out of me, shaking my phone. “Rose called.” He mutters to me before dropping the phone on my lap and turning over, but not before I see his brief smile.

“Hey Rose!” I greet as I pour a drink for myself and sit in the main room.  
“Hello John, Roxy and I are heading into the city today, do you want to join us?” Rose asks brightly. I look over at Dave momentarily and decide, it’s time I spend a few hours reconciling with my other best friend.

 

Being Dave’s twin sister, Rose was always there to be the voice of reason whenever we messed up. More than once, either Dave or I had gotten hurt whilst pulling off some scheme or a prank, and Rose would clean us up so we wouldn’t get in trouble. I can remember, when we did get in trouble, I would stand with my head bowed and with one twin either side of me doing the same. Dave and Rose have always been close, and as a result, Rose and I have always been close.

 

Rose greets me with a smile and a wave, Roxy greets me with a hug. She almost knocks me over and I laugh at her because I’ve missed her, and I hug her back . “Hey Johnny!” Same old Roxy.   
“Hey Rox,” My reply comes, her name seems almost foreign to my lips, and so does she. It’s become almost custom for our greeting to be a hug, a lame couple of words, and a kiss. I was so pre-occupied with Dave, I forgot when we met at the airport a few days back. She almost headbutts me as she clumsily returns to her own space, Rose making her way over to greet me with a much more controlled, dainty hug. Rose pretends to be all regal and pretty but she’s really a huge nerd, with all her nerdy dark fiction and stuff. She also has more teasing tact and can certainly give me a run for my money in the pranking department.   
Not that she’d beat me.  
I am the pranking MASTER.

I show the girls around town, pointing out and visiting the American Candy Store that Dave loves so much. Rose is very happy to pick up some of her favourite drinks, and Roxy trawls through the store before deciding on some Redvines that she promptly hands out to anyone that looks her way. She doesn’t eat more than three.

We end up in a small restaurant by the name of ‘Milligans’ and I find myself hungry. I text Dave a few times, send a few snapchats, and pull a dumb face with his sisters before our food arrives. Dave snapchats me back to reveal him lying in a small group of people. The shot is clearly taken by Dirk, as he’s the only one missing, but I almost snort my food from my mouth up my nose. He has, somehow, tracked down all of my Uni friends, and my siblings, and has taken a shot where they all appear to be lusting after him. I screenshot it.

I’m somewhat glad to leave the Lalonde sisters, not that I don’t love them, but I’m exhausted and right now all I want is their youngest brother.   
I arrive back at my apartment to find my twin sister sitting with Dave on the sofa, laughing whilst Dave smirks. “John!” She greets, jumping up to hug me.   
“Hey Jade!”  
“How’s your day been?”  
“Rose and Rox are exhausting, as usual.” I grin, sitting myself beside Dave. Jade sits beside me, and we all have a brief chat, but when Jake calls her she has to leave.

I flump into Dave’s lap, exhausted. He chuckles at me, and I swat at him, “It’s Sunday.” I whine.  
“And?”  
“I have Uni tomorrow.”  
“Oh yeah.” Dave joined me in my flumping.

 

Fast forward a month or so, a regular pattern of sleep-eat-school-repeat, and Dave and I have taken to sleeping in one bed because it’s the only time we get to spend together. Our old co-dependence returned, but has declined into a sort of individuality, which is good. We’re all okay. Dave passed his UK driving test, and I did the same a week later. Dirk and Jake found an apartment just down the road from us, Jade and Jane have taken in Roxy (Jade thinks Jane has a thing for her.) and my friend from Uni, Kanaya, has moved in with Rose. Nepeta is also good friends with Rose now, and Jade is dating Karkat. I think that’s about it?   
Yeah! We were all doing well!

Until Dave read the news.

October eleventh, I come home to find him shaking, hands crumpling the edges of a newspaper article. “Dave?”  
Teeth gritted, he replies, “Leave me alone.” Which is painfully unlike him. Despite being stoic, cool, he needs almost-constant reassurance.  
I make my way towards him, but the second my hand touches his shoulder, he leaps away like he’s been burned. The newspaper article hits the floor as he stands, fingers clenched at his sides. “Take a hint, Egbert.” He tries to shout but it breaks and so does he, fleeing the apartment. I stare after him, then pick up the newspaper.

****TEXAS HOME BURNS DOWN  
An apartment in Houston, Texas has been gutted from the inside, fire crews say.   
Broderick Strider, 42, who owned the house, perished in the blaze.

I stop reading there, and look at the door, realising.

Bro. Bro was dead. His dad was dead.

I know Dave had a weird relationship with his father, closer than any of his siblings. He was only really there for Dave, as Rose, Roxy and Dirk all lived with his mom on the other side of the city. I call Rose immediately.

Five minutes later and I make my way outside. Dave is sat, in our car, with his hands and head on the wheel. He’s removed his shades, and I know he’s crying.   
Flooding in from the other gate, I see backup.  
“Dave.” Rose opens the door. Dave’s hand clenches on the wheel. “Dave, get out of the car.”  
“No.”  
“Davey, c’mon.”  
“No.”  
“DAVE FUCKING STRIDER, GET YOUR ROYAL ASS OUT OF THAT CAR BEFORE I STRANGLE YOU WITH THAT STEERING WHEEL.” Karkat barks from the back of the group. A chorus of agreement goes up, and Dave finally steps out. The door slams behind him.  
“Dave,” I push my way to the front of the group, “Dave I’m sorry.”  
“Don’t be.”  
“Dave, please look at me.” Dave looks up at my words. “Dave,” I don’t know what to say. How to console him. I see him breaking inside and I know he wouldn’t want to do it in front of our friends but in another part of him, the crowd of supportive people helps. Even the ones who don’t really want to be here, like Eridan. I struggle with the words for a moment, I can’t find what I want to say, until Jade gives me a soft push and I realise what they expect.  
Nobody expects me to be able to talk to him to understand. I’m not that kind of person.  
Was I really so obvious?  
I kiss Dave, and no wolf-whistles come from our friends, no ‘ooh’ sounds, no giggling. I respect them for that. Dave kisses back, and somehow my hands know what to do even if I don’t. One rests on his shoulder, the other on his face, his jaw cupped. I feel the heat of his breath and I try to tell him with no words, but movement, that I will make sure he will be okay again.

How time flies. Dave takes a long time to recover, but everyone is around to support and help him, even Eridan. I finish Uni, and get a job. In fact, I get two, one is part-time at the Univesrity I studied at, helping with the Biology aspect, and the other is at the Starbucks a few streets away. Together, they pay well enough to survive, and Dave manages to get a job in the same Starbucks as me. Jade decided that enough was enough with Eridan and Karkat’s ‘great friendship’ (Which turned out to be them fucking in a broom cupboard) and is apparently polyamorous.

So today is the day.

Jade smooths my suit, a blue-and-black affair that Kanaya has sewn by hand. Dave and I paid her handsomely for her efforts, of course. Dave is currently at Rose’s apartment, also getting ready. Today is the day. The day that my Fiancé becomes my husband.

We debated on who would do the traditional ‘Bride’ stuff, and eventually I agreed to it. It’s Jake that walks me down the aisle, Jade is the maid of honour, Jane and Nepeta are bridesmaids. The Lalondes were offered the positions, but both declined.  
Karkat is Dave’s best man, and I’m not surprised. Karkat and Dave are such close friends, it’s great. His brother and Jake are groomsmen, and Dirk looks so proud. It almost makes me cry.

The seats are filled for the small ceremony. All of my Uni friends, plus their older siblings, and some even brought parents. Karkat, along with Kankri and their father, are the ones to greet me outside the venue. Signless has known me since I was little; it’s so great to see him again.   
_‘Hello John.’_ He signs, my name comes to him now as easily as it did when I last saw him sixteen years ago.  
 _‘Hello!’_ I return. When he first taught me sign language, I got confused because he didn’t have a sign for his name. As a result, he earned the nickname of ‘Signless’  
 _‘You’ve grown.’  
‘I know. It’s been a long time.’_ Kankri steps in as I finish the sentence,   
_‘The ceremony?’_  
‘Right. Go on, John. Congratulations.’  
‘Thank you.’  I let my hand drop after the sign, and right on cue, Jake arrives.   
“It’s time, John.”  
“I’ll see you inside.” Kankri inclines his head at me and I resist the urge to punch him and hug him both at the same time. But, as he turns, I see him smile and I know he is genuinely happy for me.

Dave convinced Jane to play How Do I Live on the piano for me to walk down the aisle to. I love him.  
I stand in front of him and I can see through his shades that he’s looking at me with as much love as I hold for him.  
He takes my hand.  
“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today…”  
Jake steps forward a little late, but otherwise things go smoothly as we reach our vows. Dave goes first, “John,” his voice shakes,  
“Growin’ up with you was like some sorta sicknasty daydream, you were the most awesome friend, bro.” A chorus of laughter, “But for real man, I missed you like hell when you were gone, an’ when you left for Uni, well,” he looks from the paper to me, “Anyone will tell ya, I didn’t fare well. Talkin’ to you over Skype was the closest I could get to touchin’ you, an’ when you started cryin’ that time...” he trails off, breathing, I can hear that he is tearing up, “I couldn’t take that any more. So we called a family meetin’, we made you wait two weeks, an’ we turned up on your doorstep.”  
“I don’t regret movin’ here, ‘cause we’ve made so many friends,” he glanced over to Karkat, who smiled reassuringly, “An’ there’s no-where else I’d rather be. But if you ever decide you wanna leave, then I’ll follow, because I love you, an’ I promise that I’ll always protect you. For better, for worse. In sickness, and in health, to infinity and beyond.” Another laugh. There’s a gesture for me to recite my vows,   
“Oh, wow, haha! I think you just outshined me, I wasn’t expecting that. Um, well, Dave, you’ve been my best friend all my life. I want you to always be my best friend, but I also want to love you every day. I promise I will, and when you’re hurt I’ll be there for as long as it takes to make it okay again.” I smile and change the end of my vows to match, “To infinity and beyond.”

  
Dave and I say the words for one another, and finally the words we lived to hear, “I now pronounce you spouses for life. You may now seal your commitment with a kiss.”  
I almost jump at him, and he tastes all that much sweeter now that I know he’s mine, ‘ _to infinity and beyond._ ’

The applause doesn’t stop, cheers raising around us. Jane starts bashing out the Ghostbusters theme and I can’t stop laughing, my fingers laced with Dave’s as the crowd ushers us down into the street.   
_‘CONGRATULATIONS!’_ I see Signless over the crowd, joyous movements.   
“Dave Strider-Egbert, John Strider-Egbert.” Karkat muses in my ear as he herds us into the street, “Any reason why Strider’s name is first?”  
“Nope.”

They push us into our car and we’re driving, the crowd of brightly-dressed strangers following the car as we crawl around the corner. Jade whoops next to the car window, hoisting up the skirt of her star-patterned dress as she trots beside us.  
We play through the list, starting with How Do I Live, because today means Dave has to respect my movie choices. And when Boss Ass Bitch starts playing I have to respect his music choices.  
Son of a bitch.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Based on a prompt by the moirail
> 
> [12:35:21 AM] Myles: sollux and aradia???  
> [12:37:56 AM] Myles: derse adventure???  
> [12:38:04 AM] Myles: horrorterrors!  
> [12:38:14 AM] Cecil: yes  
> [12:38:14 AM] Myles: aradia is possessed by horrorterror

“Tho what do you want to do now you’re alive again?” Sollux rested against Aradia, exhausted from the meteor push.   
“Y’know, I never got to run around on Derse.” Aradia mused brightly, “But it’s been destroyed.”  
“The dream bubbleth exitht, AA.” Sollux pointed out, and Aradia’s grin widened further.  
“Yes! Perfect! Oh, Sollux, I could-” she spun him around and turned in the direction of the meteor. “Let’s go!”

 

They plunged into the first, smallest dream bubble they could find, and found that it was abandoned save for a single, silent Nepeta. Aradia darted down to greet her, but the doomed timeline Olive blood ignored her. Aradia retreated with the faintest of frowns on her face, and the dream bubble floated on towards the furthest ring.   
“Ooh, we should check out the printing offices!” Aradia flitted around Sollux, who followed grudgingly down to the closest Dersite Rag office.  
“This is all complete bullshit!” Sollux sort of envied Aradia’s positive tone for everything, “Not a single word of this is true, wow!”  
“AA, theriouthly, how are you tho fucking happy all the time?” though it was beginning to rub off on him; he was smiling.  
“I’m just really, really glad to be alive.” Aradia replied, bouncing over to him for a hug.  
“Aradia?” the doomed Nepeta’s voice reached them from outside, and Aradia flew to the door.  
“Nepeta?”  
“You should know we’re coming to the fur-thest ring. There’s horpurrterrors here.”  
“Thank you, Nepeta, we’ll be okay.”  
“Could you purrlease send me the other way? I know mew can.” The doomed Nepeta requested softly, and Aradia beamed at her.   
“No problem. Sollux, we’re leaving!”  
Sollux joined her and waved idly at Nepeta, who waved back.  
Together, Sollux and Aradia fled to the outside of the bubble, and Aradia sent Nepeta on her way- away from the dark depths of the furthest ring. The oliveblood waved almost brightly.

“AA, what are you doing?” Sollux asked as Aradia headed towards the whispers.  
“They’re calling for me, Sollux.”  
“AA, don’t be thtupid!” Sollux swept forward- just as Aradia was swallowed by midnight tentacles.

“ARADIA!” Sollux’s voice seemed to echo in the dull darkness, and he swept towards the place where his friend had disappeared.

The dark tentacles pulled back to reveal Aradia’s form, almost corpse-like once more, limp, but with eyes as black as the deepest night. “Mage.”  
“Aradia?”  
“Doom Player.”  
“AA, pleathe…” Sollux recognised that it was not Aradia’s voice. “Come back to me.”  
“We see your mind, Mage of Doom.”  
“Oh god no.” Sollux moved almost unconsciously towards the rustblood, “AA wake up.”  
“We know your emotions. Your heart.”   
“Shut up, _shut up!_ ” he touched her hand.  
“You have a more prominent role to play, Yellow one.” Aradia’s mouth moved as though pulled by puppeteer strings, and Sollux pulled her towards him. The tentacles tightened their grip on her, and he relaxed, unwilling to harm her. “Your friend must act as our mouthpiece. Our puppet.”  
“You leave her the fuck alone. Aradia, wake up!” Sollux barked, unafraid of the Horrorterrors.   
“Do you not wish to be the hero, Mage?”  
“I don’t care, jutht let her go!” Sollux wrapped his arms around Aradia, tight andclose. “Let her go, now!”  
“As you wish, Mage of Doom.” And the tentacles receded, taking with them the darkness from Aradia’s eyes, she awoke to Sollux with his face buried in her neck.  
“Sollux?”  
“AA!” he withdrew to look at her, and then kissed her, hard. “I thought I’d lotht you again.”  
“I’m not going anywhere soon. We should catch up with the others.”  
“That thoundth wonderful.” Sollux smiled. Aradia took his hand, and they flew away from the den of the Horrorterrors, back towards the safety of the Dream Bubbles.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I stopped halfway through to convert the idea into an original story so i dont htink this one will ever be finished OwO

Kankri nodded curtly at the crowd around him. “Thank you for being so supportive of me.” His usual droll speaking tone was lost to gratitude, “I appreciate it.”  
He fixed the mic on the stand and stepped back to cheering and applause. After a bow, he strode offstage.

His stage partner joined him a moment later, after saying his own farewells. “Good show, Kankri!” John grinned, offering a handshake. Kankri raised an eyebrow, but shook regardless. “Thank you, John, you were quite fantastic yourself.”  
“Well, I’ll see you for our next show, then?”  
“Of course. See you in a few weeks.”

John hurried off as Kankri turned to his manager and younger brother, who hugged him tightly. “Slayed it.” The shorter teen almost shouted, a rare grin gracing his face. Kankri flung his hands up to back Karkat off. “Karkat, mind your unsolicited contact, you know I am not comfortable with personal contact, and your actions could be very triggering.”  
“Shut your face, shitstain.” Karkat rolled his eyes. “Let’s get you changed and on the road; you look exhausted.”  
“Fine.” Kankri took a few steps, and almost collapsed, realisation that Karkat was right washed over him. Karkat smirked, and offered an arm, which Kankri grudgingly stepped into. Karkat supported his brother into his dressing room, and released him. “I’ll be back in ten.” He informed Kankri, “It’s been a stressful night.”  
“Karkat-” Kankri called after him, but Karkat was already gone.

 

Karkat made his way into the quiet alley, his fingers already itching towards the packet of cigarettes in his pocket before the door had closed. He slipped one out, lighting it, and stopped as the absolute silence gave way to heavy breathing.

A shadowy figure stumbled around the corner, and Karkat stood from the wall, starting. The figure stumbled towards him, and three steps down, collapsed face first to the ground.

Karkat abandoned the cigarette, tossing it ahead of him and crushing it beneath his shoes as he sprinted towards the fallen figure. “Hey, you okay?”  
A small groan was given as response, and Karkat knelt to turn the figure over. A teenager, around the same age as Karkat, clad in a scarf and black sweater. “Dickwad,” Karkat insisted, louder, “I asked if you were okay?”  
The teenager had passed out.   
Karkat groaned loudly, and pushed his arms underneath the stranger, lifting.   
“Kankri.” He strained, “I need some help.”

Half-changed, Kankri vacated the sofa to allow Karkat to dump the stranger down on it. “Where did you find him? He’s a mess.”  
“He passed out in the fuckin’ alley, right in front of me. Didn’t get more than three drags.”  
“As much as it goes against my moral code to say this- and please recognise I would never, ever suggest this except in such vague circumstances- I believe you should check his pockets for a cell phone, or any clue to his identity.”  
“Check his shit, right.” Karkat carefully rifled through the strangers pockets until he produced a cell phone, and flicked it open. “His name is Eridan.” Karkat informed Kankri, “And it looks like this is his brother.”   
“Call him.” Kankri yawned, sitting on the floor. Karkat did as he was told.

 

“Thanks for savwin’ Eri, he’s so fuckin’ irresponsible.” Cronus Ampora followed Karkat down the hall towards Kankri’s dressing room.   
“You’re welcome, it’s a good job I found him.”

They entered the dressing room to find Kankri curled up on the floor, asleep, and Eridan still unconscious. “Kankri.” Karkat barked at his sibling, making him sit upright in shock.   
“Awake.”  
“This is Cronus, Eridan’s brother.”  
Kankri stood, and smoothed his sweater. Cronus stared at him, wide-eyed. “Holy shit.”  
“Greetings, Cronus, thank you for coming to collect your sibling. That is very responsible of you.”  
“Kankri Vwantas.”  
“Oh dear.” Kankri shook his head as Cronus took a step forward, absolutely starstruck. Karkat rolled his eyes.   
“Cronus, Kankri. Kankri, Cronus. Take the stars out of your eyes before they cut them the fuck open.” Karkat glared at Cronus.  
“Aye, sorry.” Cronus nodded, “It’s a little ovwervwhelmin’ to meet ya, Kankri. I’vwe been a big fan since ya started in bars.”  
Kankri scrutinised him for a moment, and then raised his eyebrows, “Ah yes. New york. I remember you, vaguely.”  
And then Karkat saw Kankri do something he’d never seen him do voluntarily.   
He held out a hand. “It’s a pleasant surprise to see you again.”  
Cronus apparently didn’t get the magnitude of the gesture, but shook anyways. “Vwhoa, really? Thanks!”  
“It’s getting late.” Karkat indicated the clock to interrupt their conversation. “I suggest you and Eridan stay with us for tonight, it’s easier than trying to get you past the fuckin’ maelstrom that is security.”  
“That’d be svweet, thanks.” Cronus gave Karkat a grin, and the latter mumbled curses under his breath as he shuffled off to fetch blankets.

Kankri patted the ground beside him as he half-sat, half-flumped back onto the soft floor. “So, Cronus, what brings you and your brother to my show? This area is a fair throw from New York, and I’m assuming- my apologies if my assumptions offend you, it is rather incorrect of me, but I am too tired to care- that you live in New York, and not around here, meaning you’ve travelled a fair way.”  
Cronus stared at him for a moment, processing his words. “You talk a lot.”  
“Please answer my enquiry.” Kankri offered Cronus a sort of smile.  
“Vwell, Eri an’ I travelled from Maryland, actually. Vwe vwere on vwacation vwhen I sawv you last.”  
“I’m…” Kankri had to blink a few times in surprise, “I’m honoured that you have travelled so far just to watch me sing.”

“Vwe’vwe got a bit more to go. Eri an’ I are gonna followv your tour.”  
“Well, if it isn’t too forward of me, and please do correct me if it is, I would be quite content with offering you a place on our tour bus, to travel with us.”  
the words took a few seconds to click in Cronus’ mind. “Vwhat, both of us?”  
“I would never ask you to leave your brother behind, so yes.”  
“Kankri-” Cronus was, for once, struck speechless, and Kankri sort of smirked. Cronus exhaled heavily, “Yes, vwe’d lovwe to travwel vwith you.”

“Did I hear that right?” Karkat glared at his brother, or at least tried to, as he was buried in a mountain of blankets and pillows, “You invited a fucking stranger to basically live with our sorry asses for the next- what? At least a month. That is your next show, you fucking histrionic dick.”  
“Karkat Vantas, watch your mouth. Yes, that is exactly what I have invited Cronus and his brother to do.” Kankri laid emphasis on Cronus’ name. “But,” he directed the statement to Cronus himself, “If you and your brother wish to return home at any time, I will be happy to pay for your transport.”  
“Kan, you’re too kind.” Cronus’ voice thickened slightly, and he gave Kankri a one-armed hug. Kankri froze up at the unfamiliar touch.   
“One rule, Cronus.”  
“Anythin’.”  
“Please don’t touch me.”  
Cronus released immediately. “Sorry, chief.”  
“Thank you.” Kankri smoothed his sweater once more. “But now, it is late. I think I would quite like to sleep.”  
Karkat threw a pillow and blanket at him, and the same to Cronus. “Then sleep, fuckface.”

 

Kankri woke them all- Eridan included- at 10 the next morning. “We must get ready to leave now.”  
Cronus stood blearily to talk with Kankri, and Eridan looked back and forth between his brother and the singer. “Welcome back to the world of the living, shitstain.” Karkat greeted as he appeared, shoving a cup of coffee at the youngest Ampora.   
“W-wow-w, thanks. Exactly w-what I w-wanted to w-wake up to this mornin’.” Eridan glared, but took the coffee.   
Karkat sat next to him, “I can be as much of a dick as I like, I saved your sorry ass.”  
“Oh, that w-was you?” Eridan’s tone changed immediately. “W-well, thank you, I guess. Probably w-would a froze to death, but maybe that w-would a been better.”  
“Alright, fucklord, two things. One, it’s the middle of fuckin’ summer, you have more of a chance of Satan sticking his red hot dick up your ass than freezing to death. Two, no, it wouldn’t have been better. If you’re gonna live with me for the next month, we’re gonna work on that.”  
“Liwe w-with you?” Eridan squinted. Karkat groaned as he remembered that Eridan had been unconscious throughout the entire exchange.   
“Yeah, fuck, shit I forgot. Your brother mentioned to insufferable over there-” he jabbed his thumb in Kankri’s direction “-That you two are following him on his tour like a pair of fucked up gold-clad bleating lambs. So of course, Kankri the ever-giving shaman, offered you both a place on his tour bus.”  
“W-Well, that w-wasn’t expected. I’m only here because Cro asked me to come.” Eridan shook his head.  
“I’m here because I, like an ass, agreed to be my shitlord brother’s manager.” Karkat smirked.   
“Unw-willing wictims of older brothers, party of two.” Eridan replied, a hint of a smirk in his voice, although his expression remained downcast.   
“That’s us.” Karkat agreed with some semblance of a chuckle.

 

“It’s time to leave.” Kankri announced an hour later, as his phone clicked closed. The report that the bus was outside had just come through.   
Cronus smiled at Kankri brightly, and Kankri gave him a sort of smile in return as he shouldered his bag- his signature bright red- and led the way out of the door.

It was a good job that John’s team was handling the makeup and costumes for the tour, it left the Vantas’ with very little luggage to take. Three sets of clothes would be enough to last them, since Kankri insisted on doing laundry every day.  
They would be driving up to their next venue in Colorado- John’s choice- and staying for about a week before their next show, mainly to visit Karkat’s old friends. John would be meeting them up there, of course, as the friends Karkat was going to see were mutual with the blue-eyed singer.

“You’re on the bottom bunk, Cronus.” Kankri indicated the beds, “My apologies if this offends you, but I have always slept on the top bunk.”  
“Nah, it’s fine.” Cronus kicked his tiny rucksack under the bed, “I prefer bottom anyhow.”  
“That’s a relief.”

“Top or bottom?” Karkat asked Eridan,  
“W-well, w-which bunk do you usually sleep on?”  
“I don’t. I usually fall asleep whilst doing the books or something, in the living area.”  
“W-wow-w Kar, you hawe some serious problems. I’ll take the bottom bunk so I know-w if you get out of bed.” Eridan decided, sitting on the bed. Karkat stared at him, exasperation written on his face.  
“Fucking fine, you festering dog anus, I’ll take top.” And he hoisted himself up without the use of the ladders, flumping into the pillows face-first and exhaling deeply, whilst Eridan stared, open-mouthed, at the spot he had just vacated. “Jesus fuck, Kar, you don’t look as athletic as you apparently fuckin’ are.”  
“Mention that shit to no-one. I’m just a chubby, well-padded dickbrain who couldn’t run half a mile if he was being chased by a psychotic, blood-drenched mass murderer.”  
“Alright man, calm dow-wn.” Eridan flumped into the pillows, staring at the supports of the bed above him.  
“Also, whilst we’re on the topic, remind your piece of shit brother that my piece of shit brother doesn’t usually shake hands with anyone. Especially not of his own stupid fucking accord.”  
“Oh fuck, right, he’s some kind a mysophobe, ain’t he?”  
“Mysophobe, germophobe, whatever you call it. I don’t think he has a fuckin’ condition about it, he’s just iffy with who he touches.”  
“Fair enough I guess.” Eridan replied, and they sat in silence for a while, before Kankri called for them to have lunch.

 

The first night they spent in the bus went horrifically.

At half past midnight, Karkat crept down the ladders of the bunk bed and swept the curtain aside, unaware that Eridan was still awake and watching.   
The youngest Ampora sat up and followed Karkat into the main living space, where the latter curled on the couch with papers grasped in one hand. “Kar.”   
“Fuckin’ hell, Ampora, you scared me shitless. What?”  
“Come back to bed, it’s too fuckin’ late for this.” Eridan padded further in, fingers gripping the back of the sofa gently. Karkat made a face at him.   
“Do you want to know why I really hate sleeping in this tin deathtrap?”  
“W-well, yeah, I w-wanna try and fuckin’ help.”  
“I get nightmares, okay? Kankri does, too, but he’s not as bothered as I am.” Karkat snapped up at Eridan, meeting his penetrating gaze for a few moments before dropping his head to the papers. “They’re fuckin’ abominable, Eridan, I hate being alone with them, so I occupy myself. I’m scared to try to sleep.”  
“Kar, come back to bed.” Eridan offered a hand, “I’m right below-w you if you hawe one of your nightmares.”  
“Do you mind? I’d probably rouse you from your semi-eternal slumber or some other poetic shit I’m too tired for this.”  
“Nah, it’s fine. Come on, I’m fuckin’ exhausted.”  
Karkat tentatively grasped Eridans fingers and hoisted himself over the back of the couch. “Thanks, man.”

 

As it happened, Karkat did have a nightmare at about 3 in the morning. Eridan was woken by strangled screeches, and sobbing that followed moments later. He clambered out of bed and stood to look at his new friend, curled in the sheets of his bed with the heels of his hands ground into his eyes. He stayed silent as he slipped a hand through the wooden bars and rested a hand on Karkat’s arm, and immediately the youngest Vantas tossed himself over the bars, curling around Eridan, who only just managed to remain standing. Karkat clung to him, sobbing gently on his shoulder, and Eridan settled them both down onto the bed, shushing Karkat gently. “You ain’t alone this time, Kar, it’s okay.”  
Karkat eventually settled back to sleep, clinging to Eridan, and no more nightmares chose to plague him that night.

 

The comfort of the night before probably wasn’t worth the awkwardness of waking the next morning, as Kankri shoved the curtain aside, “Karkat, Eridan, it’s time to wake up.”  
Eridan swum into consciousness with the realisation that Karkat was still pulled against him. Karkat awoke moments later to the same conclusion, and, upon hearing his brother’s half-snicker half-sigh, scrambled up and away. “Kankri, you bastard!” He shouted as his brother retreated, fast, through the curtain.  
Eridan patted him gently on the shoulder. “How-w are you, Kar?”  
Karkat stared at him for a moment. “Not as tired as I would’ve been.” He relented, nodding his gratitude.  
“You’re w-welcome.” Eridan’s voice betrayed the smile that wouldn’t form.

“Vwhat did you do to him?” Cronus glared at Kankri, running a hand through his hair as he arrived in the kitchen, “His loud mouth vwoke me up.”  
“He was getting close with your brother, and turned a very intense shade of red when he awoke to find me at the curtain.” Kankri smiled over the rim of his coffee cup. His phone lay in front of him, screen alight with Twitter. “Now, please come and take a selfie with me.”  
“Vwhat?” Cronus stared at him, but headed over regardless.   
“My twitter fanbase is growing increasingly worried at the lack of updates.” Kankri handed the phone to Cronus, who scrolled through a page of two of ‘Are you okay? Alive?’ before handing it back. “Vwhat does that havwe to do vwith me?”  
“You’re travelling with me now, I’d like my fanbase to treat you with respect and belief if they see you and slash or you tell them this.”  
“I… thanks?” Cronus sat next to Kankri, keeping a good inch of distance between them, as Kankri prepared his camera. “Are you ready?”  
“Sure.” Cronus grinned slightly. This evaporated into shock as Kankri put an arm around his shoulders.   
“Ampora?”  
“I thought you didn’t vwant me touchin’ you?”  
Kankri smirked slightly, “I’ll deal with it.” He stated, “Arm please.”  
Cronus offered an arm, and Kankri sighed as he looped it around his waist. The camera clicked, and Kankri withdrew to upload the image.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I project myself onto dave. I project my crush onto john. almost all of this is stuff that has happened/been said, or stuff that ive imagined happening so yknow. ooc isnt even in it.

You never meant to fall for him- but oh God did you fall for him.  
You fell for the sweep of his hair and the fall of his step- yes, but you fell for more.  
His attitude- the dork- with the hidden flair of fire, the way he likes to argue. You fell for his adoration of silly, dorky, dumb things.  
(His favourite Pokémon is Mew- how cute is that?)

You fell for him over.  
And over.  
And you went out of your way to make him happy.  
You look at your ink-stained hands. You look at the drawing you just finished.  
You look at his grin when he unfurls it.  
Your heart beats faster.

“I don’t think I can fall for him any harder.” You tell Karkat one evening. Within the minute, you tack on, “I WAS WRONG.” Because John always surprises you.

He’s cute and dangerous and perfect and you want to get lost in the deep blue of his eyes. You find yourself distracted thinking of his lips on your own. It’s vivid- too vivid- in your mind, the pseudo-reality has heat behind it, gentle static as you cup his jaw in your hand.  
Then you’re real again and he’s caught you looking at him.  
You look away.

 

* * *

 

He turns up at your door at midnight. He’s drunk.

He drove here and you fume at him for it, but ultimately pull him inside because it’s cold and he’s distressed. You keep quiet because Bro is asleep upstairs, but sit him on the sofa and creep to your room to retrieve a blanket.  
“D’you want a drink?” You ask.   
“Cocoa.” He replies. It’s too quiet for him.

You bring him the warm cup and his fingers wrap around it like he’s clinging to a precious item. You swing the blanket around his shoulders, and steal a corner for yourself as he stares into the milky brown liquid. After a moment, his face scrunches up, and you make rapid shushing sounds, shuffling closer. An arm snakes around his shoulders as he begins to cry and you bite back the voice in your head telling you to kiss him; this is not about you.

He doesn’t give a reason for his distress, simply allows you to take the drink and put it on the table before you turn and he curls into you. You don’t know what to do. You bury your face in his hair and breathe gently as he sobs. Words linger on your mind, but you hold them inside; this is not about you.

He’s drunk. You know that, in this state of mind, he’ll forget all your failures and shortcomings. His drunk self is forgiving and forgetful- if he remembers what a waste of space you are, he ignores it, and clings to you harder. Part of you wishes he’d stay like this all the time. But you quash it; this is not about you.

This is not about you.

This is not about you.

It’s never about you.

You can feel your heart literally tearing in your chest as you remember the heart signs on his phone as you looked over.  
Tearing as you remember the dream of warning where his lips were claimed by someone else.  
Shattering, breaking, shredding itself as you fight against the idea that he’s playing with you; using you for your doting nature and adoration, your near-limitless trust that he’d never do that. You silence the doubt in your brain that is _screaming_ that every acknowledgement, every kind word, every pet name, it’s all false and you’re only there to boost his ego.

“Dave.” He rasps into your chest. You hadn’t realised you were crying. His dark hair is dampened by your tears, and he looks up to you, his piercing blue eyes meeting yours, and it’s too late at night for either of you to be wearing your glasses so there is no protection as he tears you down.

You consider breaking in his arms and telling him everything.

But this is not about you.

 


	11. Did You Ever Care At All?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John plays Dave like an emotional harp, this is the aftermath.
> 
> “He wasn’t just a crush, okay? He was- he was my best friend. He was someone I could trust.”

“He only ever talks to me drunk, now.” Dave sighed, restraining tears. He knew neither Karkat nor Rose would care if he let them fall, but he did it anyhow. “How the fuck did this happen? We used to be so close.”  
He spun in his chair to stare out of the window, the music from his phone quiet and barely audible to anyone except Dave himself. His hands moved from the chair to his hair and clenched as he felt emotions welling and swirling like bile in his throat, like ice through his veins, heavy on his shoulders. From the Skype window on his screen, Rose and Karkat saw tears roll down his cheeks.  
“He wasn’t just a crush, okay? He was- he was my best friend. He was someone I could trust.” Karkat and Rose glanced at one another’s screens in concern.  
“He was someone I knew I could turn to, someone that would fight for me. He was someone I could _trust!_ ” the last word came as almost a strangled scream. “I know- I know…” he quietened, “I know he was an asshole. And all the bitterness and anger I show to make you think I’m over it, that’s all real. But I’m- I’m- I’m not over it.” He choked on his own words, curled in a ball, crying, sniffing, hands fisted in his hair and yanking just to feel something, anything, other than the emotional knife wound.  
“I trusted him, and now he won’t even talk to me. I’ve been to him and begged him for help and for weeks- WEEKS-“ he screamed, “He ignored me! Nothing, not a word, and then last night. Last night it was like everything was back to normal. Like he was worried about me, like he actually cared, like he ever cared at all! And that hurts more. That hurts so much fucking more because it’s not over, I don’t WANT to keep running back to him, whenever he contacts me, but for all the bitterness and anger I show I can’t stop.” Dave broke, seeming to melt off the chair to the floor. Rose and Karkat yelped in concern. “He acts like nothing was broken, like I am not broken, like none of this bullshit is real. It is real. I am real, I am here, I am broken on the floor and _crying my god damn heart out_.”

“Dave-“  
“I _know_ , Rose, I know I should talk to him about it.” He dragged himself off the floor, knuckles white as he pulled himself up to look straight into the webcam, “But I can’t talk to him about it because he only talks to me when _HE’S FUCKING DRUNK._ ” And he collapsed again, wailing the lyrics to the song in the background. Wailing the chorus of _No Light, No Light_ , whilst Rose and Karkat shouted for his attention.

After the song finished, they could hear Dave sobbing quietly. A few minutes later and he sat back in his chair, once again straight faced, but with ruffled hair, a red face, strands of his blond locks still falling from his fingers where he’d yanked them out.   
“I’m sorry you got this breakdown, guys.” He said simply, and ended the call.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is based off my own breakdown to my friends earlier. A lot of Dave's dialogue is paraphrased, his last outburst is directly quoted. It's p much 100% my own emotion, hence why hes rather ooc.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WARNINGS WARNINGS WARNINGS WARNINGS WARNINGS WARNINGS 
> 
> Self harm- not overly detailed but definitely explicit
> 
> Eridan's depression gets the better of him and he relapses

Watching the person you love fall for someone else is the hardest thing.

This is what Eridan decides as he sits alone at his computer. His shoulders and arms ache. He relapsed again last night.

Only a select few people know.

He needed company. Attention. A _friend_.  
Instead he sat and watched as his friends had fun without him, and he felt so, so alone. Unreal and pointless.  
He just wanted to feel something other than the agony in his mind and all he could think of was how he loved and craved the taste, the colour, the warmth of his own blood. He slit himself open. Small cuts, nothing vital, just enough to bleed. His shoulders first. Sixteen on his right shoulder. Six on his left. Eleven on his right arm. Two on his left. Two on his leg. Watched the blood roll and lapped it up.

He felt better immediately. He regretted it later.

He watched his Moirail discuss with her the party. Her romantic achievements.

“You were so CUT-E!” Feferi told Jade. “I walked in on you and you were CUDDLING!”  
It felt like a strike to the face for him. He knew that she had been falling for Karkat, but he’d hoped, begged, prayed to the Gods above that she might spare him a glance. He’d fallen in love with her brilliance. Her kindness and talent and he’d been bowled over when she plucked strings and made music. He had been lost in what she did and he had fallen too hard.

He regretted it later.

But he didn’t want to bother them. He didn’t want to bother anyone. Not even Feferi. So he pulled on his jacket, his shoes, his glasses, and set out into the open air because Jade was still his friend and he needed someone to see the mess that was his arms. He needed someone to stroke his hair and tell him everything was going to be okay but he knew he’d never get that. He needed company. He wished he wasn’t alone.

And he typed up his feelings in the form of a story, desperately wishing he was somebody else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah okay yet another of my experiences as a homestuck characters


End file.
